The sad case of Somalis in Finland

Below is a good example of how a public official’s comments helps strengthen racism and stereotypes of certain ethnic groups living in Finland. One of the biggest flaws in the arguments of anti-immigrant groups is that they incorrectly believe that cultures don’t change and therefore different groups are incompatible. I hope that the same stance as these far-right groups hasn’t overtaken the Finnish Immigration Service when we speak of the Somalis.

Does the Finnsh Immigration Service have a special grudge against the Somalians? Is this the reason why it likes to feed these types of stories in order to fuel xenophobia to new heights?

The warning is, however, clear: We don’t want Somalis in Finland because they will never adapt to our country. Up to 90% who want to move to Finland through family reunification are illiterate.

Phony bolony!

UPDATE (31.3.10): Here is a good example (in Finnish) of the hysteria that the Finnish Immigration Service and the media fuel with a percentage. The headline of the Tampere-based Aamulehti article says it all: Finland is not prepared for an avalanche of illiterate immigrants (Suomi ei ole valmistautunut lukutaidottomien maahanmuuttajien vyöryyn). The term “avalanche” is not only misleading it gives the impression that Finland is being invaded by “thousands of illiterate immigrants.”

It is odd that some Finnish policy-makers and politicians never ask if the problem of high unemployment among Somalians has to do with the hostility and bigotry they face daily in our society. Is it due to their outdated views of cultures and outright prejudice?

Finnish anti-immigrant and anti-Somalian critics forget to tell us that the majority of Italian, Spanish, Eastern European and other immigrants that moved to the Americas in the late-eighteenth and early nineteenth century were illiterate. Even though they faced racism and discrimination in their new countries, some of these groups ended up adapting very well and succeeding.

Even blacks from Africa that were forced to come to the United States as slaves from 1619 suffered tremendously from an oppressive system but later, through centuries of struggle, ended up finding a prominant place in US society. Most of these blacks, as well as their future relatives, were once illiterate.

Jussi Halla-aho, who appears to take joy and pride in bashing Somalis and Muslims for fun and personal gain, quoted Jorma Vuorio of the Finnish Immigration Service by stating that “90% of Somalis coming to Finland are illiterate.”

According to the Finnish Immigration Service, Vuorio mentioned that “85%-90%” of Somalians seeking residence permits in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, are illiterate. Fine. But how many? According to the Finnish Immigration Service, we are speaking of 2,260 residence-permit applicants in 2009 compared with 1,855 in the previous year. “We expect the figure to rise to 4,000 this year,” said a Finnish Immigration Service official.

Seriously, can a few thousand Somalis force our social system to implode and did all of the applicants receive a permit to come to Finland? Are they a walking social time bomb as Hallo-aho warns in his usual populist style?

The social bomb that some warn us of will be instigated by our suspicion and prejudices – not by a handful of Somalians who can learn to read and write with our help.

-“It is odd that some Finnish policy-makers and politicians never ask if the problem of high unemployment among Somalis has to do with the hostility and bigotry they face daily in our society. Is it due to their outdated views of cultures and outright prejudice?”

It is sad you never ask if Somalis bring this hostility to themselves. They ARE excessively visible in crime statistic, punching way above their statistical level on various crimes like rape.

Perhaps we should hug Somalian rapist and hope that this makes him integrate to our society?
Or perhaps we should destroy our society so Somalians feel at home!

-“Finnish anti-immigrant and anti-Somali critics forget to tell us that the majority of Italian, Spanish, Eastern European and other immigrants that moved from to the Americas in the late-eighteenth and early nineteenth century were illiterate. Even though they faced racism and discrimination in their new countries, some of these groups ended up adapting very well and succeeding.”

Enrique! WAKE UP! THIS IS NO LONGER EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY! WE ARE ON 21ST CENTURY! TIMES CHANGE!

Only idiot would compare illiteracy levels of 19th century to requirements for literacy on 1st world, high education society of 21st century.

Finland has 99% literacy rates. That means we expect EVERYONE in Finland to be able to read or write as society as well.

-“Even blacks from Africa that were forced to come to the United States as slaves from 1619 suffered tremendously from an oppressive system but later, through centuries of struggle, ended up finding a prominant place in US society. Most of these blacks, as well as their future relatives, were once illiterate.”

So fucking what?

Now you compare slaves in USA in 17th century to Somalis who want to live in Finland in 21st century.

Does it not compute in your mind that requirements for worker in 17th century highly agrarian low industry nation and 21st century high tech nation are totally different?

If you have time machine, we could send those Somalis to 17th century America if that is so wonderful. But today, here, their illiteracy makes them useless waste of resources.

As for Somalis learning to read and write. Great…
With HOW MUCH TAXPAYER MONEY AND HOW MUCH TIME THEY REACH ROUGH PARITY WITH FINNISH 3RD GRADER?

I would even accept the cost of educating Somalis, but they have to give up something too.

I pay for my part to feed them, clothe them and even try to educate them.

Least THEY can do is do their utmost to:
1) Learn my language. Because that is de jure official language of Finland and thus required from everyone.
2) Learn to respect my culture.
3) Stop trying to live in Finland as if they were still in Somalia.

Parts 2 and 3 would solve most Somali problems. Once they would make the intellectual leap to understand that things are not in Finland like they are at home, perhaps they would no longer be for example statistically overrepresented in rape statistics.

You speak of the Somalis as if you were some “white master” overlooking your livestock.

1) Learn my language. Because that is de jure official language of Finland and thus required from everyone.
They do.
2) Learn to respect my culture.
Respect? They do and more than you think. The problem is that this is a one-way dead end society for many of them.
3) Stop trying to live in Finland as if they were still in Somalia.
How can they live in Somalia if they are in Finland? This is your subjective point of view. And anyway isn’t it their right to practice their culture in Finland? Are you now the culture police that controls this aspect of their lives as well?

-“Respect? They do and more than you think. The problem is that this is a one-way dead end society for many of them.”
Maybe they should change. It is dead end only if you refuse to accept that you are no longer in Somalia and you have to adjust.

-“How can they live in Somalia if they are in Finland? This is your subjective point of view. And anyway isn’t it their right to practice their culture in Finland? Are you now the culture police that controls this aspect of their lives as well?”

By refusing to figure out that Finland is different.

They practice their culture without accepting that their culture conflicts with Finnish one!

That is the main reason for excessive amount of rapes committed by African/Middle Eastern immigrants.

In THEIR culture offer of coffee is same as offer of sex. And no is just another word for yes.

So they come to Finland, but their brains are still in Africa/Middle East.

They meet nice Finnish woman, she invites them for coffee. Insert one rape and there we have enrichment of our society.

They have to learn that Finland has different cultural norms and it is THOSE norms they must act according to when dealing with others.

In their own little circle they can pretend to be in Somalia, but when they are not interacting with other Somalis they have to know, respect and obey Finnish cultural norms.

–In THEIR culture offer of coffee is same as offer of sex. And no is just another word for yes.

Wow, Tiwaz, you always amaze me. Now you have the ultimate culture book for the Somalis. Incredible! I could also write such a book: I offer a Finn a drink in Spain and the next thing he/she is lying on his/her back shit-faced drunk holding a bottle in one hand, cussing and getting aggressive. He/she pulls out his/her gun and starts shooting at everyone in the room yelling “perkele saatanas” like at some tragic schools in Finland. He/she is out of control and blasted drunk.

It would be ludicrous for me to generalize on a stereotype. I would not do that. Apologies for the example.

Hi Enrique, Ive been reading your blog for a while and let me tell you it has been an interesting experience. This space has generated good discussions and people feels more free to express here than talking in public or to mainstream media. Myself im latin american that came to finland a couple of years ago for work purposes and it seems that I will be staying for a long period. I have a strong interest in finnish culture, language and politics. I am completely antimulticulturalism but pro-diversity, which means all race colours should be respected in finland however finnish culture, law and values should be preserved and this should be a priority. I have a close friend working in education with somalians and he has told me that most of them are not interested in working and a big percent are conciously screwing the system. Another friend studies the YKI kurssi and he is all the time pissed off because fellow students, mostly from afghanistan only care about kansalaisuus and dont want to work. For me as a foreigner is hard to feel empathy for people who behave like this and I believe they do things harder for the rest of foreigners, especially other africans who want to adapt and get a job. In general I believe that you see racism very easily in the finnish society and you are lacking criticism towards some rotten apples within the immigrant lines. However I agree with you that there is no real immigrant policy in finland and theres a lack of leadership in this department. The fact that I disagree with you in many aspects doesnt mean that I dont respect the effort you are putting on here to improve things for immigrants or at least to bring together finns and foreigners alike to discuss in a neutral field. You will see me around often now that I had the courage to write some lines. Muchos saludos

Hi the3worlds, muchas gracias por tus comentarios. In Migrant Tales everyone can state their views as long as they are not outright disrespectful. You are most welcome to point out your views. I am certain we can learn a lot from them.

We started an immigrant organization called Kansainvälinen Mikkeli a couple of weeks ago that aims to look at our situation in a different way: (1) if things are going to change, immigrants must show leadership. By change, I don’t mean a revolution but that the laws of the land are applied to all farily and equally; and (2) immigrants as well as refugees should start to embrace this country as their home irrespective of how hard it may be. Why can’t a person have two homes? Why can’t he build many homes in his life in many places? This means that immigrants and Finns start to think of each other as “us” as opposed to “them.”

One of the problem with multiculturalism in many countries like Finland is that there is great misunderstanding about what it is never mind how it is applied – what you see in Canada cannot serve as a perfect template for Finland. I have spoken at some gatherings and mentioned that we do not need any new magic tricks to adapt immigrants to Finnish society. All that we need is already in the laws, which respects diversity, gives us civil liberties through individual and group rights. The question I believe is applying these laws to ensure that they work effectively. In order for these laws to function, immigrants must also acquaint themselves with them. How can you demand rights if you do not even know what your rights are? How can you demand equality if you are a bigot? So, I believe, there is a lot of work to be done. At the present rate we don’t even have a clue about what these people are supposed to do in Finland. It is a bit like every person for him/herself.
I don’t buy all you say about the Somalis. Each group has its people. However, what society must offer to all of its members are opportunities to better themselves. Our liberal societies also offer people the choice to not take those opportunities if they don’t wish.
We can talk more about multiculturalism later on and the challenges it poses. One big core issue in the debate is whether the concept fragments societies. I personally believe that people (I know many) who travel within cultures. It could be about what you mentioned concerning diversity. Hybrid cultures is a fascinating concept you should get acquainted with. We have a lot of that in the Americas.

-“Wow, Tiwaz, you always amaze me. Now you have the ultimate culture book for the Somalis. Incredible! I could also write such a book: I offer a Finn a drink in Spain and the next thing he/she is lying on his/her back shit-faced drunk holding a bottle in one hand, cussing and getting aggressive. He/she pulls out his/her gun and starts shooting at everyone in the room yelling “perkele saatanas” like at some tragic schools in Finland. He/she is out of control and blasted drunk.

It would be ludicrous for me to generalize on a stereotype. I would not do that. Apologies for the example.”

Stereotype?

Yeah. It is so stereotype that immigrants/refugees from Africa and Middle East are overrepresented in rape statistics.

No wait.. It’s a fact! Fact which Enrique would rather not come to public!

When Somalis whine that Finns are racist, without ANY confirmation of their claims Enrique hits the barricades screaming bloody murder.

When Somalis and rest of immigrants/refugees are disproprotionally responsible for rape it should be kept silent.

Enrique, you are school example of double standards of most disgusting quality.

As for coffee offer, it was generalization yes. But facts remain. Somalis and other African/Middle eastern refugees/immigrants refuse to adjust to Finnish society and Finnish cultural norms.

Finnis woman is independent and can invite man to her home without offering sex. This IS unheard of in barbaric cultures of Islamic nations where woman often is only permitted to go outside if stuffed into potato sack and in some cases has to be escorted by males.

Your denial that this problem comes from incompatibility of cultures is sad. It shows how little you actually understand of what culture is and how it affects people.

These rape statistics are proof that multiculturalism does not work. And anyone who thinks that this is somehow limited to Finland are free to study exactly similar situations in Norway and Sweden, two other liberal societies where products of fucked up cultures have made themselves well represented in rape statistics because of multiculturalists.

Tiwaz, if you want me to pull out alcohol, homicide and suicide statistics and make some dumb conclusions to fit MY limited view of a certain group, I won’t. Why? Because it is a waste of time. Read Jihu’s comment. You may learn something that you never wanted to know.

Linda, a lady, asked you to watch your language. If you want to debate like a sensible person stop using offensive adjectives. Deal with your rage. It only undermines your position. Ever thought how many thousands of people from different countries read this blog? Have you ever thought about the image you give of the Finns by your comments?

Moreover, do you know what multiculturalism is? I don’t think you have a clue. Do you know the laws of your land and our values? I don’t think you do. Can you learn? Certainly. Can you deal with the truth?

-“Tiwaz, if you want me to pull out alcohol, homicide and suicide and make some dumb conclusions to fit MY limited view of a certain group, I won’t. Why? Because it is a waste of time. Read Jihu’s comment. You may learn something that you never wanted to know. ”

Homicide is limited to very small category of people and indeed, I agree that it has to be changed. However, as those committing homicide are natives of this land we cannot prevent their entry.

Foreign rapists are NOT here by default, so we CAN deny their entry and should do so. Close the borders for nationalities who commit rapes, send back those who commit crime in Finland without mercy.

If we could do the same for native criminals, I would whole heartedly support it. But since we cannot, I have to settle to demand that we do it to those we can deport.

-“Linda, a lady, asked you to watch your language. If you want to debate like a sensible person stop using offensive adjectives.”

I will debate politely when you, linda and xyz stop spewing lies and start supporting your claims with facts and research.

-“Deal with your racism.”
Deal with YOUR racism. I have repeatedly said that I have nothing against foreigners or immigrants as long as they accept that in Finland they have to change to fit Finland.

-“Moreover, do you know what multiculturalism is? I don’t think you have an idea. Do you know the laws of your land and its values? I don’t think you do. Can you learn? Certainly. Can you deal with the truth?”

You have never told any truths. You play with lies and half-truths.

And I know what multiculturalism is, it is called failure.
It starts with failed assumption that all cultures can get along fine without need for radical changes if they are radically different. It is obviously impossible.

As for laws, I know them too. And they do NOT say that immigrant should be treated ANY differently than Finn.
That also means there is NO PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT.

–It starts with failed assumption that all cultures can get along fine without need for radical changes if they are radically different. It is obviously impossible.

This is exactly what xenophobic parties like the BNP and Muutos 2011 love to argue. They live in the 1930s, still believe in eugenics and racist “theories,” and claim that cultures don’t change and therefore we cannot live together. They are the same ideas that caused Europe to spend its best minds and resources on wars where millions of people vanished. Your argument is flawed and expresses an extreme view of cultures. There is no scientific basis for what you say it only represents a layman’s misguided view.

And I know what multiculturalism is, it is called failure.
-Maybe if they have to work with you then it’s a failure. Told you several times that I work here with all kind of people from Europe, Africa and Asia and it works fine.

Hi mogadishuman, we have asked for these figures and I believe we never got them. As you know, xenophobes (even public officials and politcians) use these types of figures to maintain racist views about other groups.

According to Wikipedia 27 percent of rape and sex crime has been done by foreigners (1900 cases reported 2005). 27 percent out of 1900 is…513 cases or 0.36 percent of all foreigners. So what is with the remaining 99.64 percent? Criminals too?

-“Tiwaz, the burden of evidence is upon you. Instead of screaming rape, my culture this, my culture that! you ought to bring statistics to the table, otherwise your comments are just that – comments!”

Those statistics have been provided in this blog before.

Enrique has only tried to ignore them. Also, if you had bothered to properly read this forum you would have noticed that ENRIQE never supports ANY of his claims with facts.

I have not seen him post SINGLE fact supported by ANY source outside his own little mind here.

xyz. Has it occurred to you to calculate little further?

27% of rape and sex crime committed by foreigners.
This out from part which makes from total population what…2,5 or 2,7%?

So foreigner is ten times more likely to commit sex offense than native. That is very significant number.

In any other statistic this would be reason for huge outburst. If say 2,7%cocoa content in chocolate made your risk to die from cardiac arrest 10 times larger, it would be put into list of hazardous substances.

But here you and Enrique preach how we should understand and accept immigrants as they are.

Despite FACT that they are 10 times more likely to commit some of the most disgusting crimes in humanity.

-“This is exactly what xenophobic parties like the BNP and Muutos 2011 love to argue. They live in the 1930s, still believe in eugenics and racist “theories,” and claim that cultures don’t change and therefore we cannot live together. They are the same ideas that caused Europe to spend its best minds and resources on wars where millions of people vanished. Your argument is flawed and expresses an extreme view of cultures. There is no scientific basis for what you say it only represents a layman’s misguided view.”

My argument is supported by facts.
READ THE FUCKING BOOK “BOWLING ALONE”. Statistical FACTS which show how loss of social cohesion through multiculturalism leads to situation where community breaks up and loses trust in each other and authorities.

Further proven by cases like UK where this process is visible on large scale.

Tell me Enrique, has it occurred to your small bigoted mind that cultures are different and conflict? Indeed, they can change. And that is what I am telling. IMMMIGRANTS MUST CHANGE THEIR CULTURE TO FIT INTO COMMUNITY THEY MOVE INTO!

Since you preach of excellence of multiculturalism, let’s have a little intellectual experiment.

Let us assume that child circumcision is not in any way prohibited by law.

How would you suggest that multiculturalism solves problem where Finnish culture explicitly finds mutilation of child to be barbaric and disgusting, while Somalis see it as essential part of their culture?

How you as multiculturalist would solve the conflict?

Would you demand Finns to appease the barbarians and embrace this disgusting tradition?
Or would you tell Somalis to stop what they are doing?

If Somalis would insist in continuing their practice, then Finns would see them as barbarians. And we have equal right to do so as Somalis have to cut up their children. (of course, in reality you have shown that in your opinion Finns have no rights Enrique, but let us pretend for a moment that you do not have glaring double standards)

This is what I am saying. If foreigners find their cultural tradition to conflict with Finnish, THEY must change.

If they refuse to change, they have to accept that Finns will judge them according to Finnish cultural norms and if they are found lacking, they are treated accordingly.

You are worse than the Finnish Immigration Service and Finnish Border Guard. You put out percentages NOT figures to support the former. Certainly 90% sounds “alarming” but when you put it in context it is another thing. So give us the numbers so we can put things in context. Thank you.

Have you ever thought Tiwaz that you are breaking the law by insulting other ethnic group in this blog? >Would you speak this way and what would you be responsible of if you spoke in a similar way in real life?

I suggest that you stop raging and debate in a sensible way without insulting people and ethnic group.

-“You are worse than the Finnish Immigration Service and Finnish Border Guard. You put out percentages NOT figures to support the former. Certainly 90% sounds “alarming” but when you put it in context it is another thing. So give us the numbers so we can put things in context. Thank you.”

If you bothered to read, you would notice I just took number provided by xyz.

If you have issue with numbers, go whine to him.

And again, I will not provide numbers until you and your ilk have answered demands of proof by me, Tony and rest of critics.

You could also explain why you are eager to take hearsay of black people, remember that “study” where they asked black people in Finland if they were victims of racism but in NO WAY CONFIRMED THEIR CLAIMS, for face value but never claims of people who do not agree with you?

-“Have you ever thought Tiwaz that you are breaking the law by insulting other ethnic group in this blog? >Would you speak this way and what would you be responsible of if you spoke in a similar way in real life?”

Has it occurred to you that you are doing the very same thing, along with huge throng of your followers, with your racist remarks about Finns?

What I have stated is backed up by statistics. Foreigners are overrepresented in sex offences. It is not be insult or breaking the law to state a fact.

–Has it occurred to you that you are doing the very same thing, along with huge throng of your followers, with your racist remarks about Finns?

My remarks are “racist” and they are breaking the law? Please, be my guest and go to the police. On the contrary you insult and use adjectives that you would never use in real life because you would get sued. But since you are in a closet you think it is ok to assume another identity and insult people, ethnicity and everyone left and right in a free for all. Nobody else does this than you. So, when you comment, imagine yourself as a human being with an IDENTITY and that can be held accountable for insulting others.

And what do you want to tell us now if over 99.6 percent of all immigrants are not involved in this?

Has it occurred to you that you are doing the very same thing, along with huge throng of your followers, with your racist remarks about Finns?
-How can I be a racist about Finns if my girlfriend is Finnish? I just don’t like people who are saying that all immigrants are stupid and can’t behave and that I get told from companies that they are not able to hire foreigners. What’s the use of learning Finnish then because for them I will always be a foreigner.

I have to agree with many of the points Tiwaz was making. If a person immigrates to Finland they should in my opinion:

1) Learn to speak Finnish and learn it well
2) Strive to contribute beneficially to society both economically and in other means
3) Learn Finnish culture / values and adopt them whole heartedly
4) I’m sorry but if you are an immigrant and have a super hard sounding name to pronounce or it just doesn’t fit in, you should change it to something Finnish.

If the immigrant is a refugee or asylum seeker, the importance of the above stated should be multiplied by 10.

Finland or any other country should not have to adapt to an immigrant, its the immigrant that has to learn to adapt to Finland.

Several of my friends in California are immigrants that came here as a teenager, instead of keeping an impossible to pronounce Chinese or Indian name, they adopted California names such as Jason and Brandon. They learned the California culture, they adopted the dress, the manner of speaking, became educated, etc. Adopting the local culture has not made them any less of an individual, but it helped them fit in.

An immigrant who comes to another country and tries to recreate their culture and environment there is just stupid. There is often a compelling reason why a person immigrates summed up simply like this “Wow, this place sucks where I am at. I am leaving to XYZ country, thats much better”

Immigration worked in America because you had many different cultures come here and assimilate into the underlying culture. Now things are not working very well due to lack of assimilation, i.e some immigrants cannot even speak English. What kind of employment prospects await them?

Don’t let the same thing happen to Finland as it has in the States, UK, etc.

Joel and Tiwaz are right. If any group doesn’t want to assimilate, they should leave. One way to make such groups and individuals leave: all welfare of any type stops, for everyone in that community, now. If they don’t like the country enough to contribute through labor, if they are caught in any kind of crime including the harassment of Finns on the streets, then deportation is swift and certain.

A lot of Somalis, forced to take work like housecleaning, restaurant work, hotel cleaning and cooking, and other illiterates’ usual jobs, just to afford a small apartment and ride the Metro in a freezing climate: a lot would leave. Streets need cleaning, hospitals need lots of low-level labor, and road construction is a great source of jobs for the illiterate and unmotivated (shirking) foreigner. At no time should any foreigner be allowed to malinger, to shirk his work, or receive any help except through loans to be deducted from future paychecks. He should be forced to take Finnish language lessons five days a week and PAY FOR THEM, with a solid deduction from his paycheck. If he refuses, he is deported for malappropriate assimilation attitudes. If he or she has a child, the parents must pay all hospital fees until full citizenship papers are granted to both parents. If no father will identify himself, then the mother must take the full burden of the medical costs, over time, through labor either she chooses herself or is given to her. The child can go to childcare centers at HER COST.

Every foreigner knows that until he or she proves themselves, they’re not welcome anywhere. If the immigrant sees that he/she and their children are working hard, getting nowhere, suffering from the climate, living in poor and small flats, and hate the local food, culture, music and population, then they will realize that they must take action and leave. If you give them all the benefits for free, they stay out of inertia and laziness, since they would have to work elsewhere in the world, especially in the dusty dirt of their homeland.

If the average Finn speaks out on the spot against any inappropriate behavior, especially against the Somali males’ lack of respect for women, that would help immensely in making clear to the foreign men that their old habits are history or their presence in Finland is history. A Somali male, no matter that he is unemployed and illiterate, hates mockery. Use it to change his socially inappropriate behavior on the spot.

A Finn determined to accelerate this could learn a few choice Somali phrases, such as “Leave that woman alone or get out of my country!” That would give the guy a jolt!!!

If the Finns themselves don’t have any say in who comes to their country, and how they behave, and if they are forced in addition to support people who disrespect them, then the Finns are done for.

The Finns must speak up and fight against this kind of racial hatred, this crime against its people. The Finns should look to other countries that have tried to be nice and helpful to ungrateful and unassimilating outsiders. To this day, here in California, although I’m 51, I am getting harassed on the street by the males of the Mexican immigration, not to mention other Latinos, who see no reason that they cannot behave like the pigs they are in their own underdeveloped and pathetic cultures. I have learned a few choice Spanish words concerned their mother’s sexual habits to get rid of them. If one implies that the man is the result of the mother’s promiscuity, he really might take offense, but he started it, poor little B******! Such hijos of such poor mothers!!!! One pities them, crying down in a donkey town.

It usually does the trick of humiliating them in front of their fellows, and the locals get a kick out of seeing real American women fight back with the same type of insults they’d endured in silence until then.